


Incarnate

by ScreamsIntoTheVoid



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls - Fandom
Genre: Villages and cities will be bigger than how the appear in game, because it's already too big, but it will be the same story overall, except vivec, there's some implied Nerevar/Voryn but it could just be friendship so..., won't follow plot exactly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-24 17:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30075984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScreamsIntoTheVoid/pseuds/ScreamsIntoTheVoid
Summary: Niryn is brought to the province of Morrowind without explanation, and told that she must serve the Empire, despite being an ex-criminal. But it would seem fate had lead her here for a reason.It was time Nerevar returned.(sorry for bad description. I will improve it later)
Kudos: 1





	1. To The East, To Morrowind

**3E 427, 16th of Last Seed  
Seyda Neen, Vvardenfell, Morrowind **

_“They have taken you from the Imperial City’s prison, first by carriage, and now by boat. To the east, to Morrowind. Fear not, for I am watchful. You have been chosen.”_

_The world seemed to spin, and visions of foreign lands, the sky and the ocean flashed before her eyes. The voice that had spoken still echoed in her ears, and refused to make any sense in her mind. She thought she heard thunder, and saw a bright flash across her vision. She tried to speak, but her mouth remained firmly closed. She tried to move, but her body remained rigid._

__

__

_The blood in her veins ran cold, and something within in her stirred. She pushed it down, and the spinning finally came to a stop._

“Wake up, we’re here... Why are you shaking?... Are you okay?... Wake up...” a new, and very different voice awoke Niryn from her dream. She jolted upright, confused and disoriented. But she quickly remembered the events of the past month. A dangerous mixture of fury, confusion and self hatred rose to the surface.

“Stand up,” said the stranger who had woken her up. A tall, muscular, and shirtless Dark Elf towered over Niryn. He looked down at her with a sort of concern, but Niryn couldn’t draw away from the nasty scar that rendered his right eye blind. He offered a hand to help her stand, but she ignored it and stood on her own. 

“There you go”, the Dark Elf said in a deep husky voice “You must have been dreaming… What’s your name?”

“Niryn… Niryn Salbruk,” she looked around, still gathering her bearings. She was in the storage room of the ship, the same one the Imperial guards had thrown her in when she first boarded the boat. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, though part of her was glad she did. It had dimmed her temper somewhat, and having a more awake mind would be better for whatever would happen next. 

“Well, not even last nights storm could wake you,” the Dark Elf said. Niryn eyed him suspiciously, wondering what he was doing in here. He hadn’t been there when she fell asleep, he must have boarded after her. “I heard them say we’ve reached Morrowind,” he continued, “I’m sure they’ll let us go.”

Niryn doubted so. She was a criminal, and she had been certain her fate was to rot in the Imperial prison. When they ushered her out without a word of explanation, she’d assumed that she was going to be executed. When they shoved her in a carriage, she wondered where on earth they were taking her. When they took her to the boat, she’d become even more confused. And her dream still lingered in her mind, refusing to be pushed far down along with the rest of the nightmares that haunted Niryn’s sleep.

Morrowind. They had taken her there?

_Why?_

Did they think she was from Morrowind? She was a Dark Elf, but she had been raised in Cyrodiil. She’d never been to her people’s homeland, surely they knew that?

“What do they want from us?” She asked the other Dark Elf. 

He opened his mouth to speak, but then footsteps sounded, heading towards the door that closed them into the storage room. “Quiet, here comes the guard,” he said, not answering Niryn’s question.

An Imperial guard opened the wooden door. He looked at the two prisoners with distaste, and then focused on Niryn. “You. Come with me.” 

Niryn, having no other option, followed the guard out of the storage room, leaving the other Dark Elf behind. She scowled angrily as she walked through the guards and crew quarters-the guards got bunks, yet she had to sleep on the floor without even a bedroll. Bastards.

She followed the guard up a creaky wooden ladder, which led to the deck of the ship. She could barely see in the sunlight. It felt like a long time since she had been out in the open. Once her eyes adjusted, she looked around.

The boat had ported at a small dock connected to an Imperial style village. Trees that Niryn had never seen before grew by the shores and in the distance beyond. Yellowish-green reeds covered the shoreline. In the distance she heard some sort of cry; a strange and almost mournful cry, nothing of the likes she had ever heard before. It came from her right, from a large, towering insect-like creature.

“Keep moving,” the Imperial solider commanded harshly, before she could get a better look at the creature, or the village before her.  
She was led off the boat and to another Imperial guard who was waiting on the dock. 

“Ah, you’ve finally arrived, but our records don’t show from where,” he said. He then looked Niryn over, her unknown origin apparently not of his concern. 

“You look like you’ll fit right in,” he said with a smile that was far from authentic. He turned and led Niryn towards a building that had been constructed next to the dock and led her inside.

An elderly man waited for them inside, a bundle of papers in his hands. When he noticed Niryn, he spoke, “Ah yes, we’ve been expecting you. You have to be recorded before your released.”

Niryn’s brows narrowed in confusion. “Why am I being released? Where am I?”

The elder placed the papers down and took an inkwell and a quill off a shelf and placed it on the table.

“You're in the Census and Excise Offices in the port of Seyda Neen, in Vvardenfell District of the province of Morrowind. As for your release, I’m just following orders,” he explained. 

“ _Morrowind?_ Why am I _here_? Do you realise I’m not _from_ Morrowind?” Niryn snapped, anger boiling in her veins again. Were they just going to dump her here? She knew little about Morrowind, or any other province apart from the one she grew up in. 

The elder shrugged. “I know you’re not from here. I do not know why they have sent you here, or why you are being released. I do not know who you are either, and I’ll need to find that out before you can go. Let’s start with an easy question; name?” he dabbed the quill in ink and set one of the papers out on front of him.

“Niryn Salbruk,” Niryn sighed.

“How to you spell that?”

“N-I-R-Y-N, S-A-L-B-R-U-K.”

“Gender?”

“Uh, female.” Niryn frowned. While she was particularly feminine, she didn’t think she was that masculine, either. Surely it was obvious she was female?  
“And you are a Dark Elf, I can see. Do you have any multiracial heritage, though?” the elder continued.

“I do not know. I don’t remember my parents.”

“Alright, then. Birth year?”

“408, third era.”

“What was your occupation before your arrest?”

“Highwayman.”

The elder hesitated, taken aback by Niryn’s response. But Niryn saw no point in lying. She just hoped he wouldn’t turn around and say she couldn’t be released, now that he knew of her… unsavoury past. But they must have known she was a criminal, right?

“Alright… Uh, the letter that preceded you mentioned you born under a certain sign. And what would that be?” the elder continued. 

“The Lady.”

“Interesting... Now before a stamp these papers, make sure this information is correct,” the elder handed the papers to Niryn. She read through them, and after confirming that everything was correct, she handed them back to the elder. He stamped them and handed them to Niryn again.

“Show these papers to the Captain when you exit to get your release fee,” the elder gestured towards a wooden door to Niryn’s left. An Imperial guard stood by it, watching Niryn with a sceptical glare. 

Niryn did as the elder said. The guard that had led her into the building followed her. He still had a painfully fake smile, and it annoyed Niryn more than it should have. 

She went out into a small outdoor space, and had no choice but to enter another building, as there was no where else to go. The guard left her there, and Niryn entered.

Inside was another Imperial guard, though his armour was more ornate than what the others had. Niryn guessed he was the Captain.

“Your papers, please,” he said, and Niryn handed him what he requested. He read through them silently, then folded them up, “Thank you. Word of your arrival only reached me yesterday. I am Sellus Gravius, but my background isn’t important. I’m here to welcome you to Morrowind.”

Niryn didn’t say anything at first. Too many questions were buzzing around in her head, and her anger had not cooled. Why was she here? What did they want from her? She decided to ask both of those questions, though she didn’t like the answers.

“I don’t know why they brought you here. But you are to follow my orders,” he grabbed a wrapped package from a shelf, and shoved it into Niryn’s hands, “This package came with the news of your arrival. You are to take it to Caius Cosades, in the town of Balmora. Go to South Wall Cornerclub, and ask for Caius Cosades – they’ll know where to find him. Serve him as you would serve the Emperor himself. I also have a letter for you, and a disbursal to your name,” with that he handed Niryn another slip of paper and a purse heavy with gold. 

“I don’t understand. I should be in prison,” she said after a moments hesitation, “What do you want from me?”

“You know your duties. Take the package to Caius Cosades in Balmora,” was all Sellus replied with.

Niryn bit her lip. “What if I don’t? What if I go elsewhere?”

Sellus glowered, and lent down slightly to Niryn’s height. “Then we will find you, Elf. Do not think you’re being set free just like that. Go to Caius, serve him well.”

Niryn nodded slowly, her hands tightening around the package and purse. “Alright. I’ll find Caius Cosades,” she said quietly, and turned to leave out through the door. 

She felt like she could breathe again, now that she was away from the Imperials (and their guard, as not all Imperial soldiers and guards were of the Imperial race). She took deep breaths to calm her anger and anxiety, and focused on her surroundings.

Seyda Neen was a small town. Most the buildings were Imperial style, wattle and daub walls with thatch roofs – familiar to Niryn, who had grown up in Cyrodiil, the native lands of the Imperials. The people that walked about from place to place were a mixture of races. Niryn saw Imperials, Nords, Wood Elves, Dark Elves and even a High Elf, wander about their business, taking no interest in Niryn. 

The air was humid, and smelt strongly of mud, sweat and the foul smell of swamp. Large trees with long thin leaves loomed over the buildings. Their wood was dark and gnarled, with bright green moss growing over their trunks and branches. Birds perched on the twisted limbs, happily chattering to each other.

Niryn heard another one of those strange cries, and she wondered what in Oblivion that insect-thing was. She’d been told that Morrowind was full of strange creatures, but she hadn’t quite imagined… that. Were there other giant insects? She hoped not, that giant one she’d seen terrified her.

Niryn followed a dirt path that winded through the village. Despite being small, plenty of people were around. A few market stalls were set up in a spot where the path widened, and large number of people gathered around them. Past the stalls, large trees made a natural wall between the Imperial style buildings, and a group of wooden huts centred around a pond full of algae and reeds. Two Dark Elf children huddled by the pond, poking a stick into the green water.

The smell of fresh bread and caught Niryn’s attention, and her stomach quietly grumbled. The last time she’d eaten was right before she’d been taken to the boat. It hadn’t been the most wondrous meal; stale bread and butter, with a broth of something. While some may have turned their nose up at, Niryn had lived all her life short on food, and she was quite happy with the meal. Her sense of taste had long grown accustom to stale breads and ‘mystery’ dishes. 

But it if she had a choice, she would much rather fresh, warm bread. 

The smell came from the market stalls, and so that’s where she went. Each stall had something different to sell, but most were produce of some kind. Fruits, vegetables, meats, breads, cheeses. Most were from local farms, hunters and bakers, others imported from the mainland or other provinces. Other stalls had other ornaments; candles, lanterns, clothes, tapestries and other such items were also for sale. 

Niryn had trouble deciding where to look first. She wasn’t sure how much gold she had, but the purse was satisfyingly heavy. Maybe she could treat herself to something. After all, she had been through a lot in the past months.

_Get something to carry this package in, it could be dangerous walking around with something like that exposed for all to see. Then think about food. And then, our orders._

It was hard, but Niryn chose to ignore the food for now. As she carefully explored the market area, she found the things that she needed, for a somewhat reasonable price. 

First she bought herself a well made and decently sized knapsack. She placed the package inside, not yet ready to think about her ‘duties’. Already questions started to buzz in her head again. She pushed them aside as she closed the knapsack, her concentration on what she needed now, and how many septims worth of coins she had. The knapsack had been expensive, being worth forty-seven septims. While she wasn’t the best at counting, she came to conclusion that she had been given around one-hundred septims. She’d already spent half of it. She’d have to be careful with the rest.

Next she bought a cheap second-hand iron dagger that was slightly rusted at the cross-guard. She tucked it under her belt (which was a simple piece of rope tied around her waste – there was no way a prisoner would be given an actual belt). 

Then, finally, she treated herself to some food. She didn’t buy the most expensive, but she was determined to buy the warm, fresh bread rather than the stale leftovers from the days prior. She almost bought jam to go with it, but it was too expensive and would add unnecessary weight. So instead she brought fruit, most of which seemed to be imported from Cyrodiil and Skyrim, preserved with spells to keep them from rotting. After becoming thirsty, she quickly bought a waterskin. She was angry at herself for nearly forgetting water, something that was arguably more important than food.

And at last, she could eat. She cut slices of apple and ate it with the bread. She forced herself to eat it slower, rather than scoff it all down, and savoured the flavour. It reminded her of her time in Bruma, when a kind-hearted baker would give her freshly made treats on occasion. It was probably thanks to that Nordic baker that Niryn had survived the harsh winters of the Jerall Mountains, and she had always felt she owed a debt to her. But she was far from Bruma now, and that had been years ago.

After finishing her meal, she found a well and filled her waterskin. The water was surprisingly cool, compared to the warm, slightly humid weather.

Niryn sat at the base of one of the large trees, setting out her knapsack before her. She had to sort out her… situation now. 

She couldn’t make any sense of why she was here. She was caught for theft, and a known outlaw. Why had they dragged her out of the Imperial Prison? Why had they taken her to Morrowind? And who was this Caius, and why did she have to work for him? 

Well, maybe she would get answers from Caius. It was clear Sellus wasn’t going to tell her anything, if he knew anything about her in the first place. None of the other guards seemed to know. But to get to Caius she needed to go to Balmora, wherever in Oblivion that was. And then she would have to serve Caius? What would he ask of her? How, exactly, would she be serving him?

Niryn didn’t like any of it. She kept circling around the same ideas; maybe she could escape, runaway from the Imperials and do what she wanted. But what if the Imperials found her? They probably wouldn’t give her a second chance. And she’d never been out of Cyrodiil before – she had no idea what dangers could be in Morrowind. The chances were she’d die of starvation or an animal attack, or something else of sort, before the Imperials even realised she was running away. 

In the end, going to Caius seemed like the safest option, at least for now. Perhaps she would only have to serve Caius for a short time. It may only be a few months of labour, and then she could go. Or maybe they’d take her back to prison. Or maybe they’d throw her in a mine and she’d spend the rest of her life rotting in there. 

_They are not going to do that. They have let us free; we are not going back to jail, and we will not be forced to work in any mines. They would have plenty of local prisoners to do that – they want something else from us._

Niryn opened her knapsack, taking out the folded slip of paper. It was a letter written to her.

_Niryn Salbruk_

__

You have been given these directions and a package of documents. Do not show them to anyone. Do not attempt to read the documents in the package. The package has been sealed, and your tampering will be discovered and punished.

Follow these directions.

Proceed to the town of Balmora in Vvardenfell District. Report to a man named Caius Cosades. He will be your superior and patron; you will follow his orders. His residence is not known, but ask at the cornerclub called "South Wall". People there will know where to find Caius Cosades. When you report to Caius Cosades, deliver the package of documents to him, and wait for further orders.

Remember. You owe your life and freedom to the Emperor. Serve him well, and you will be rewarded. Betray him, and you will suffer the fate of all traitors.  
I have the Honour to prepare this at the direction of his Most Sovereign Majesty the Emperor Uriel Septim ,

Glabrio Bellienus

_Personal Secretary to the Emperor_

The first question that came to Niryn’s mind was simply _‘why?’_. The Emperor himself had given orders for Niryn to be sent here, to work here? What had she done to get the Emperor’s attention, for him to decide to let her go? 

Various emotions flicked through Niryn. Anger. Confusion. Fear. A heavy weight had been placed on her shoulders, one she wasn’t sure she could carry. This Caius must have a direct connection to the Emperor! And they talked about _Niryn_ serving the Emperor! It was absurd! She didn’t want to work for the Emperor or the Empire. She wanted nothing to with them! Gods, how had she been dragged into this?

“You alright there? You’re looking a little pale.”

Niryn snapped back into reality, realising that someone was standing in front of her. A Dark Elf, wearing weathered looking leather armour with a belt decorated with various blades. A warrior, of sorts. Though Niyrn thought he looked rather skinny.

“I’m alright,” Niryn answered bluntly, shoving the note and package back into her knapsack. The stranger remained standing in front of her, as if he was expecting something. Niryn ignored him, standing up and swinging the knapsack over her shoulders. “You wouldn’t know how to get to Balmora, though, would you?” she asked.

The stranger’s eyes lit up. “Oh, yes! I’m going there myself! Just follow me, if you will,” the stranger turned and started walking, not waiting for Niryn to respond. Niryn hesitantly followed.

“I’m part of the Fighter’s Guild, you see”, the stranger said when Niryn caught up, “and I get orders from Balmora. I’m going back for more now.” 

The stranger seemed far too talkative to Niryn’s liking. But she was intrigued. Despite being a Dark Elf, it was clear that he wasn’t from Morrowind, either. He had a thick and distinct Nordic accent.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Uh, Niryn.”

“I’m Falun Ithad”, he ran a hand through his dark hair and winked, “nice to meet you, Niryn. Happy to find another outlander. What brings you to Morrowind?”

Niryn fidgeted with her hands. “Work,” was all she replied with.

“You’ll find plenty of work in Balmora. And Vvardenfell in general! I’m not sure how much of a warrior you are, but the Fighter’s guild is always looking for new recruits!”

_Why? Because their members keep dying?_ “Guilds don’t interest me much.”

“Aw, that’s a shame. Could do with someone like you around.”

Niryn didn’t want to think about what ‘someone like you’ meant. It was clear Falun though Niryn was someone she wasn’t. She’d leave it for now, as she’d much rather travel with someone else, even if they did get on her nerves. 

Falun led her through the village, and upwards towards a small hill just outside the village. To her horror, Niryn realised they were heading straight towards the giant insect. She halted in her steps.

“Where are we going?” she asked, her eyes locked on the insect. Its back was missing segments of its shell, which seemed to have been removed to accommodate a place for people to sit. Were they going to _ride_ that thing?

Falun followed Niryn’s gaze. “Ah! That’s a silt strider! They use them to travel from place to place. You can get one to Balmora for a decent price,” Falun explained.

“You… You ride it?”

“Yep! Don’t worry. Apparently they’re under complete control by their driver.”

The idea of being on top of one of those things terrified Niryn. To be that high, on a giant insect… No, she couldn’t do it.

Falun seemed to notice Niryn’s fear. He grabbed her wrist. “Don’t worry!! It’s fine! I’ve been on many before, and nothing bad ever happens. They’re fast, cheap, and keep us safe from animals and bandits. Even cliff racers leave it alone!”

Niryn didn’t want to know what a cliff racer was, and part of her was frightened to know what other creatures made their homes in Morrowind. She wasn’t easily scared, but the thought of there being _more_ giant insects roaming around did not sit well with her. 

But she didn’t want to give in to cowardice. She let Falun lead her up a ramp which led to the silt strider. A Dark Elf woman stood at front, and she smiled at the two. “Where would you like to go?” she asked.

“Balmora,” Falun said. He brought out a handful of gold.

“That will be forty drakes for the two of you.”

Niryn was about to start counting her coin out, when Falun gently grabbed her arm. “No, I can pay,” he said.

“You can’t be serious”, Niryn gasped, “You don’t have to pay for me. We don’t even know each other!” But as Niryn felt in her purse, and there were only a few coins left. Maybe it added up to twenty, but she would barely have anything left. But she couldn’t let this stranger pay for her! That was more debt. Debt that she would likely never be able to pay.

“It’s fine. I have gold to spare,” Falun insisted.

“No it’s not. You shouldn’t have to pay for me. I can pay for myself.”

Falun smiled, “It really is fine. I want to pay.”

Niryn gave in, if only because she would rather save her money. Why did the stranger act so kindly? She was sure he was trying to flirt with her, despite the fact that they’d only just met. She didn’t know how she felt about that, but it did make her somewhat uncomfortable.

Falun paid the gold, and Niryn shakily followed him onto the silt strider. She hated how weak her legs felt, and how sweaty her palms had gotten. She was scared she would slip on the ramp and fall all the way down into the water. And maybe then the silt strider would impale her on one of its spindly legs.

Once on, she quickly sat herself down on one of the cushions to hide her shaking. Falun sat next to her.

“Where do you come from? I’m guessing Cyrodiil by your accent,” Falun asked.

“Yeah. I’m from Cyrodiil,” Niryn answered, glad that her voice sounded calm and clear.

“I heard it’s warmer there than in Skyrim. I lived in The Rift, mind you. Probably the warmest place in Skyrim.”

“It’s colder in the mountains, of course. But mostly it is warm. It can get pretty cold in winter, though. But I’ve heard it remains fairly warm all year in the far south.”

“Where in Cyrodiil did you come from?”

“Uh…” Niryn didn’t know how to answer. She had been raised in the Imperial City, but since she was thirteen she’d moved about from place to place. The place she’d stayed in longest, other than the Imperial City, was Bruma. “I have moved around a lot. I guess the Imperial City,” she finally answered.

“I’ve always wanted to go there! What’s it like?” Falun seemed so eager to talk, while Niryn wanted to curl up and hide in the shade. She disliked talking with strangers enough as it is, but being on top of a giant insect only made it worse.

“When will we leave?” Niryn asked, instead of answering the question. 

There were three other people on the silt strider. None of them talked to each other, each one busy with reading or getting some shut eye. Niryn hoped the silt strider would leave soon. The sooner she got off the it, the better.

“Not long”, Falun replied, “they’re waiting for more passengers. If they don’t get any soon, they’ll go anyway.”

“How long will it take to get there?”

“A few hours, but not too long. It’ll still be day when we get there.”

Niryn sighed. Her head had started to ache. She drank from her waterskin and wiped sweat off her forehead. This day just kept getting worse. But Falun had gone quiet, busy looking through his own knapsack. Niryn was relieved to finally be in silence. Or at least, at first she was. But being left with her own thoughts, she found all those millions of questions spinning around again. 

She was going to work for the Emperor. _The Emperor!_ She was a criminal, for the gods sake! Why her? What were they going to ask of her? 

As her thoughts went back through the day, she was reminded of her… dream. She’d forced herself to not think about that, partly because she believed to just be another strange dream. But this one stuck in her mind, refusing to fade away like other dreams. 

The voice had been right, too. She hadn’t known she was being taken to Morrowind when they threw her onto that boat. How had the voice known? Had she heard someone talk about Morrowind in her sleep, or was there more to that dream than she thought?

_No, Niryn. It was a dream. You’ve always had strange, vivid dreams. This wasn’t any different. Now rest, and enjoy freedom. We deserve it._


	2. The Emperor's Eyes and Ears

**3E 427 16th of Last Seed  
Balmora, Vvardenfell, Morrowind**

The ride to Balmora felt longer than what it really was. Maybe it was because of Niryn’s newfound fear of heights, or Falun’s constant chattering. Either way, Niryn was more than glad when the silt strider finally came to a stop at the city of Balmora.

  
She walked stiffly off the silt strider and down the stone stairs, Falun and the other passengers ahead of her. Once at the bottom, she leaned against a wall and gathered herself. She’d survived the silt strider, and, as far as she was aware, her complete and utter terror hadn’t been too obvious. Never again would she ride one of those things, not unless her life depended on it.

  
Unfortunately, she’d drained her waterskin on the ride. She would have to refill it, hopefully before going to Caius Cosades.

  
“Where are you going from here?” Falun asked. Niryn hadn’t realised he was still around.

  
Niryn shrugged, “I’ll find my way.”

  
“You sure? I could help.”

  
“No, but thank you. I’m sure I’ll be fine on my own.”

  
Falun seemed hesitant to leave, but thank the gods, he did. Niryn couldn’t stand having someone like him around for too long. Or anyone, for that matter. There had been few people in her life that she enjoyed being around.

  
Once alone, Niryn started to explore Balmora (heading in the opposite direction that Falun went). It was a decently sized city, full of life and activity. Colourful flags were strung from building to building, or handing on walls, and bright lanterns of many colours were abundant (though they were not lit, at this time of day). Large crates were stacked in front of buildings, and people were emptying them or carrying them to their shops or stalls. The atmosphere was similar to the Imperial City, Niryn found. Full of people, big on trade, and full of the stench of sweat, alcohol and skooma. It sounded more or less the same, too. People shouting to draw attention to their stalls, children’s laughing and crying, quiet conversations that were almost completely drowned by all the noise. Niryn hated it. There were too many people, and far too much noise.

  
South Wall cornerclub – that was where she needed to go. But she had no idea where to find it, she could barely see through the crowds of people. It didn’t help that many wore bright reds, greens and blues, distracting her from what she was looking for and making her pause to look at the beautiful colours. Maybe she should’ve asked Falun, but he probably would’ve insisted on taking her there himself. And then he would ask why, and she didn’t feeling like answering any more questions.

  
Eventually, Niryn found who she believed to be a guard. A Dark Elf wearing a yellowish-brown set of strange armour stood by a shop entrance. She approached them, hoping that it was a guard and not just a citizen.

  
“Outlander”, he said as she stopped in front of him “what do you want?”

  
“Do you know where South Wall is?” Niryn asked, forcing herself to stand straight and not cower and flee as she found herself wishing to do.

  
“Cross the Odai River. That’s where all the housing is. Then go right, and go up the first flight of stair. They’ll have a sign out front.”

  
Niryn muttered a ‘thank you’ before trying to work out where the Odai River was. Thankfully, a river cutting through the middle of a city wasn’t too hard to find.

  
The Odai was a wide and clear river, with several stone bridges crossing over it. Small boats passed through the archways, carrying tourists or traders through the slow moving waters. Niryn crossed over it, ignoring the childish temptation to jump in and go wherever the current took her. She loved swimming, and had often dared to paddle in Lake Rumare in Cyrodiil. She only ever did it in small, hidden nooks that were free of slaughterfish. Otherwise she’d end up being eaten alive. But no was not the time to give in to childish behaviour.

  
Following the guards instructions, Niryn headed right. This side of river was somewhat less crowded, as there were far fewer stalls, and nearly all the building were homes rather than shops. Still, a decent amount of people were around.

  
Niryn went up a small flight of stairs. Not far from the stairway was a building, with a faded red flag out front. On the flag, written in black was ‘South Wall Cornerclub’. She’d found it.

  
The cornerclub wasn’t nearly as busy as Niryn had been expecting. The patrons sat around round tables that had been crowded into the relatively small building, whispering to each other and eyeing Niryn with suspicion. She ignored it, and found her way to a man standing behind a small counter.

  
“Welcome to South Wall, Dunmer. We have food, drink, and beds available, as always,” he greeted.

  
“I’m looking for someone named Caius Cosades. Do you know him?” Niryn asked softly.

  
“Ah, yes, Caius. You’ll find him up the stairs outside and straight down the road. He lives on the first floor,”

  
“Thank you, sir.”

  
Niryn left South Wall and its staring patrons quickly, careful to not make eye contact with anyone.

  
She did as the man had said, going up the next flight of stairs and walking down the dirt road. Houses lined its edges, each one made of the same pale stone. People sat at the front or on the roofs, talking to another or taking swigs from bottles. Children chased and wrestled one another, giggling and yelling with laughter. The sun was setting, and the horizon was lined in pink and orange clouds. Niryn found it very peaceful, and for a moment, she found herself envious of the people that lived here.

  
Her emotions were quickly pushed away as she walked up to the house she believed to be Caius’. She knocked softly on the door twice, and waited for a response. She thought she heard footsteps, and a scraping sound against hard, stone floor. There was coughing – a man’s coughing, she thought, and the door opened slightly.

  
Niryn could see half the face of an ageing Imperial man, who looked down at her strangely. But it was the strong smell of Skooma that caught Niryn’s attention, and she had to stop herself from cringing at the sweet smelling stuff.  
“Who are you?” the Imperial asked harshly.

  
“Niryn Salbruk. I have been instructed to report to you, sir. You...are Caius Cosades, correct?” Niryn responded in the most pleasant tone she could muster.

  
“What? Yes, I’m Caius Cosades. But, what do you mean, you were told to report to me? What are you talking about?”

  
Niryn swung her knapsack off her shoulders and took out the letter and package, handing both to Caius. He took them and shut the door, leaving Niryn outside. She crossed her arms and took a deep breath, trying to cool her rising temper.

  
_Keep it together, Niryn. It is almost nighttime, we can lose it when we go to bed._

  
The sun continued to sink lower, and the sky grew ever darker. The children disappeared into their homes, and fewer people passed by. Niryn’s stomach grumbled, so she took out an apple (which was all that she had left in her knapsack), and started to eat.

  
There was nothing but the apple core left when Caius finally opened the door again.

  
“Good, you’re still here. Get inside,” he said.

  
Niryn followed him in to the horribly sweet-smelling house. She worried that the drugs might start affecting her if she stayed in here too long, but Caius seemed unconcerned with that, taking out a chair and offering for Niryn to sit down on it. She did, and Caius sat at the opposite side.

  
“Who gave you these orders, Niryn Salbruk?” he asked, but only after staring at Niryn from across the table for an uncomfortably long amount of time.  
“Uh,” Niryn paused, trying to remember his name, “Sellus, I think? Sellus…. Gravos? I do not remember his last name.”

  
“Hm, alright. I think you mean Sellus Gravius… well, Niryn, in the package it says that the Emperor wants me to make you a novice to the Blades. And that means you’ll be following my orders. Are you ready to join the Blades and follow my orders, as the Emperor commands?”

  
“I-I… I don’t even know what the Blades are! I don’t know,” Niryn ran a hand through her hair, her other hand tapping repetitively on the table. “I don’t understand! I should be in _prison_!”

  
Caius lent back in his seat, raising his brows at Niryn. “Listen, Niryn. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past. The Emperor himself has given orders for you to work for me.

  
As for the Blades… We’re spies. We’re the Emperors hidden eyes and ears in the provinces. We watch the Emperor’s enemies. We look for opportunities. We make reports. And, when the Emperor commands, we obey. And you, Niryn Salbruk, have been given orders to join us, the Blades. And so I’ll ask you again; are you ready to join the Blades?”

  
Niryn lent into her hands. She felt sick, and dizzy. She was certain that if she stood she would either collapse or throw up.

  
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” she muttered. Caius didn’t respond, but watched her with an expecting look. Niryn wanted to scream, and cry, and yell, because nothing that had happened today had made any sense. She wanted to go home. She wanted to be back with Dorgal, where everything made sense.  
“Yes,” she gasped, “I-I’ll join the Blades.”

  
Her heart was beating uncomfortably fast, and she was finding it more and more difficult to breathe as her chest grew tighter. The room felt as though it was getting smaller and darker.

  
“Good. Welcome to the Blades, Novice Niryn Salbruk. You’ve made the right choice. Now, we will discuss your orders and your role as a Blades member more in depth tomorrow, but for now, let me establish some rules. No stealing from other Blades members, and certainly no fighting or killing of other Blades members. Follow my orders. Don’t lie. And don’t tell anyone of the Blades. This must be kept secret,” Caius explained, but Niryn was only half listening.

  
“What do I do now?” she asked quietly, not just to Caius but to herself.

  
“First thing, pilgrim. You’re new. And you look it,” Caius lent down and grabbed a large purse, which clanked as he tossed it in front of Niryn, “Here’s two-hundred drakes. Go buy yourself a decent weapon. Or armour. Or spell. And second thing… You need a cover identity. Around here’ freelance adventurer’ is a common profession. Sign on in with the Fighter’s Guild, or Mages Guild, or Imperial Cult, or the Imperial Legion. Advance in the ranks, gain skill and experience. Or go out on you own, look for freelance work. Then, when you’re ready, I’ll have orders for you.”

  
Niryn nodded. Her hand idly gripped around the large purse of gold, while the other supported her far-too-heavy head.

  
“Good. Come back tomorrow, and we’ll discuss things a bit more. You should find somewhere to rest now. Try South Wall, or Eight Plates across the river. They’ll have beds for rent. Now, get going.”

  
Niryn obeyed, her hand gripping the heavy purse like her life depended on it. She stood up shakily, and went to the door, one hand leaning against the wall for support. She stumbled outside, and into the fresh air. She’d hoped getting out of that stuffy house would help, but she didn’t feel any better. The ground felt like it was tilting one way and then another. Colours looked too bright and too saturated at the same time. There was a ringing and pounding against her ears. She felt too hot, but her skin prickled as if she was cold. She stumbled against a building and curled up in the alleyway next to it, unsure whether she was going to throw up or faint. Her eyelids felt strangely heavy, so she though it was probably the latter.

  
The sun had long since disappeared over the horizon when Niryn felt she could stand again, when her heart began to slow and the ringing in her eyes faded away.

  
Soft, muffled voices came from the buildings around her, and distant insects and animals cried and sang into the night.

  
_You’re in Morrowind_ , Niryn reminded herself as she stood. Slowly, she made her way down the stone path, not sure where she was heading. South Wall had beds, but she wasn’t sure she felt safe in there. Caius had mentioned another place, but Niryn couldn’t remember what it was called. Perhaps she could ask someone, if she could find anyone. And if she could find the courage to do so. Right now, she felt embarrassingly weak and pathetic, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to be seen by anyone.

  
Perhaps her desperation for a warm place to sleep, or her will to not give in to her irrational fears, she managed to force herself to talk to a guard she found patrolling the streets.

  
“Uh, excuse me,” she muttered. The guard stopped and turned to her. Their strange armour looked far more intimidating in the torchlight. “Do you know where I can find a place to stay the night?”

  
“South Wall is not far from here. Down the stairs, on the your left,” the guard said bluntly, already turning away.

  
“W-wait, they uh, don’t have any beds free.”

  
“Hmph. Try Eight Plates, then. More expensive, but they have good food and good beds. Probably better than what’s at South Wall.”

  
“Where is it?”

  
“Across the river, in the commercial district not far away from the Fighter’s and Mage’s Guilds.” With that, the guard turned and left.

  
Niryn managed to find Eight Plates, eventually. Once she realised she was in front of the Mage’s Guild, she knew it had to be near.

  
The guard had been right about it being more expensive. Niryn could tell immediately when she entered that it was more upmarket than South Wall. That, and everyone inside were almost exclusively Dark Elves. Most of them looked like they had wealth, too. They had fine clothes and talked and moved in way that only the rich did.

  
Niryn went to the counter, were a Dark Elf woman stood behind, serving a customer a bottle of liquor.

  
“What can I do for you, outlander?” she greeted as Niryn slumped on one of the seats in front of the counter. Niryn’s hand still gripped the purse tightly, as if it might disappear if she dared to let go.

  
“Do you have water?” Niryn asked quietly.

  
The Dark Elf nodded, turning to retrieve water. Niryn felt for her other purse, the one that Sellus had given her, counting out the coins she had left, and how much they would add up to. The Dark Elf placed an orange cup in front of Niryn, who mumbled a thank you and asked how much it would cost.

  
“Nothing,” the Dark Elf replied. Niryn was surprised, but didn’t say anything. She drank the water, and when she finished the Dark Elf filled it up again.

  
“Where are you from, outlander?” she asked. Niryn didn’t know how all these people knew she wasn’t from Morrowind. Maybe it was because she looked totally lost all the time, or because of the poor state of her clothes and hair.

  
_Or, you know, your accent._

  
“Cyrodiil,” Niryn mumbled in response.

  
“Hm, the Imperial province… Can I get you anything to eat?”

  
Niryn thought for a moment. She knew she _should_ eat. She hadn’t had much today, and the food she’d been given on her journey here and in prison hadn’t been brilliant, but she didn’t feel hungry. Her stomach felt cramped, and part of her still worried she might throw up. The dizziness still hadn’t fully subsided, and it would come and go unpredictably, followed by small waves of nausea.  
“No, thank you. But do you have any beds?” It was better she didn’t eat anything now.

  
“Yes, we have some spare. Twenty drakes for one night,” the Dark Elf replied.

“I’ll take it,”

  
“Alright. It’s down stairs, first on the right.”

  
Niryn finished the water and took out twenty gold from the purse. The room she was staying in had to be the most upper class looking bedroom she’d been in since she was a girl. A double bed was in the corner, with thick woollen blankets on top, dyed in a deep green. A bedside table with a few unlit candles on it was squeezed between the bed and a large, ornately carved wooden wardrobe. The room was lit by two glass lanterns that were placed at either side of the room. Niryn blew out the one closest to the bed, leaving the other lit. She doubted she would ever get to sleep if she were in total darkness. Or if she would sleep at all. This room reminded her too much of Canios. It made her skin prickle and her heart race. Unwanted images of the past rose to the surface.

  
Niryn shoved her knapsack and gold under her bed, and stripped herself of her grotty clothes, not wanting to sleep in them. She huddled herself under the thick blankets, pushing the unwanted images and the emotions they carried deep down. She thought of other things, like the strange flora in Morrowind, and the weather. Things that didn’t stress her.

  
But sleep didn’t want to come, even though she felt exhausted. She shivered even though she wasn’t cold, and the thoughts of Canios, the bastard that had ruined her, kept arising.

  
_He’s not here, Niryn. He’s gone. Sleep. Sleep, and tomorrow you will feel better._

**Author's Note:**

> You made it to the end!! Thanks for reading!!
> 
> If there are any mistakes or formatting issues, please tell!!


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